8.0 Score
Rather than going a technical route, I’ll share my experience with the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 which I believe is a fantastic audio tool meant for athletes and it’s deserving of the hype it gets from its users – here’s our Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Review.
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Review
Bone Conduction isn’t New, and So is Shokz
Shokz are no strangers to the bone conducting audio products because they are the pioneers in the market. In fact, it’s no longer new anymore. But the fact that the brand tries to innovate by including features that would captivate users – I must give credit to them. In this case, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 is solely designed for people who run, jog, power walk or anything that involves you and your foot on the ground. These are not waterproof but get IP55 which I will get into a bit but if you want one with waterproofing, you should get the OpenSwim instead.
Now bone conduction is great and not having to worry about your earbuds falling or adjusting during the run is great, though the sound quality does take a hit – leaving you wanting for the oomph factor – The Bass of course. This is where Shokz was willing to part ways with IP67 for the IP55 to drive a better quality to the ear.
The Improved Audio Experience
Shokz went to the drawing board to bring the bass to the ears without compromising its design and what it has done so far. So, the drivers on the front of the OpenRun Pro 2 are thick – because there are two drivers: the bone conduction driver does what it has always done, handle the mids and highs but this time, there’s a new air driver facing the ear which drives the bass and with the upgraded diaphragm and patterned polymer surround, Shokz claims for a better and subtle sound production.
How does it really sound then?
To properly put it to the test, I used the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 during my Coway Run 2024 event to see how it is.
To be able to tune to my beats, while being aware of my surroundings was amazing and on top of that, the bass thumping – though not as intense as a proper earbuds left me satisfied.
I listened to EDM, Hip Hop, Rap and even other language music – it handled very well. There’s no reason to have LDAC here because you don’t need it and these sound pretty good for what its designed to be. If you do use these as a proper audio source in public transport and such, expect to lose the Bass and things to sound a little more flat than usual.
There is a feature that caught me off guard – which is the ability to optimize the audio depending on your surroundings. When I picked up my pace, I felt the wind, which interfered with the headset but I also could hear the volume going up to keep up with me. You have no idea how much appreciative I was.
To have a listening experience, without the need to tinker and focus on my run was amazing. Let me tell you this, apart from myself, every other professional runner doing half marathons was wearing a version of Shokz – which only proved one thing, they have hit home run with this demographics.
Is there anything else worth talking about?
Before they called themselves Shokz, there was no app to control your headsets via app or keep them updated for new features and such. That changed with the OpenRun Pro 2 – with a dedicated app that offers EQ Modes including customizing it to however you like, and MultiPoint pairing for 2 simultaneous connections.
Though it’s limited, it’s all you need. Finally, the battery life is worth raving about because they claimed to offer 12 hours of use but there were moments when I’d forget to turn it off and music would play – only to realize it was running the whole night. And hey, it’s pretty good. I had a good few hours of use every day for almost a week until I had to connect to the charger.
Since these don’t rely on my ears to listen, I only use them in spaces where I can keep track of my surroundings and enjoy some tunes – like when going on a photowalk with friends, during voice calls and such.
One thing they claimed was that there is no sound leak but if you set your volume higher than 50 per cent, expect some sound leaks and your neighbouring person to hear what you are listening to.
Conclusion
I must say that the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 isn’t just an audio product but a great tool for runners to use music to keep them going. I truly believe it’s for users who take their music seriously. Even if you do get them for your workouts, these are some good investments because once you get either the OpenRun Pro 2 or any of their OpenRun, you are pretty much set for life. Granted the Run Pro 2 is no means cheap, especially at RM 899 but hey – if you are the type of user who gets vertigo from wearing in-ear, these can be fantastic alternatives.
Either way, Shokz have found a home for their products among athletes and they won’t be going anywhere.
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